


Please come back to me

by Harringroveboys



Category: Stranger Things (TV 2016)
Genre: Alpha Billy Hargrove, Alpha Nancy Wheeler, Alpha/Beta/Omega Dynamics, Alternate Universe, Billy Hargrove Needs a Hug, F/M, M/M, Mpreg, Neil Hargrove Being an Asshole, Omega Jonathan Byers, Omega Steve Harrington, Schoolteacher Steve, Soldier Billy Hargrove, World War II
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2021-02-04
Updated: 2021-03-13
Packaged: 2021-03-15 08:54:01
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 15
Words: 19,904
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/29186610
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Harringroveboys/pseuds/Harringroveboys
Summary: Life had been good for Steve Hargrove. He has a great mate, a great job, great friends. But what if all that were to change?
Relationships: Billy Hargrove/Steve Harrington, Jonathan Byers/Nancy Wheeler, Joyce Byers/Jim "Chief" Hopper
Comments: 31
Kudos: 115





	1. Chapter 1

Steve could feel the distinct pain of a migraine forming as the loud shrieks of children reached his ears from the playground. He rubbed his eyes and sighed as he turned over Mike Wheeler’s maths homework and continued to mark it. Steve wasn’t stupid. He knew exactly what the throbbing pain behind his eyes meant for him as any self-respecting omega would. But he did wonder what he had done to cause his heat to fall on the one weekend Billy had managed to get off from his garage in what felt like years to Steve. They’d been talking about making a trip out of it. Travel up out of the city and see one of the castles that Steve had always been hinting at Billy to take him to. But those plans would be put to rest for a few more agonisingly long months all thanks to Steve’s body having the worst possible timing.

He let out another pained groan as the bell signalling the end of the lunch hour started to ring out and the shrieks and laughter of the children began to grow louder as they started to draw closer to the school. Within a few minutes, the door to Steve’s classroom burst open and Steve felt a smile creep over his face as he saw a familiar group of children enter (Billy called this particular group the Hargrove hoard, claiming that they were Steve’s favourites among his class. This was something that Steve venomously denied of course). Leading the hoard was Dustin Henderson, who was unsurprising talking a mile a minute to anyone in earshot. Cutting across Dustin at almost every other sentence was Mike Wheeler who Steve secretly considered to be the leader of his little Hargrove Hoard. And if Mike was the leader, Max Mayfield was almost certainly the second in command. Steve could almost see a bit of her brother Billy in her as she rolled her eyes at the boys in front of her and grabbed the arm of Jane Hopper to drag her to their favourite desks underneath the window. Lucas Sinclair followed her making not so secret heart eyes, at least in Steve’s book, at the back of Max’s head. The rest of the group straggled behind with little Will Byers bringing up the rear and smiling a small smile when he managed to snag the seat next to Mike. 

After a few more seconds of chatter, Steve clapped his hands together and a silence fell upon the room. “Okay 8H. Now, we have an important lesson this afternoon. Can anyone tell me what is important about your fourteenth birthday?” 

He could hear Mike mutter under his breath “Yeah, we all get older. Whooo!” Steve let out a small chuckle before seeing Max raise her hand. “It’s when we present as our secondary gender. So either Alpha, Beta or Omega.” 

“Yes, that’s right. On your next birthday, you will present. Now there is no specific role for males or females so it is a true unknown as to what you’ll present.”

“I’d bet I’m a stupid omega,” Steve overheard Will mutter. 

“And why is being an omega so stupid, Will?” Steve asked. He watched as Will’s cheeks flushed red, partly in embarrassment at being called out and partly due to being heard by the omega teacher in the first place. “Because Alphas are cool and get to do all the cool jobs,” Dustin piped up, swooping in to try and pull Will out of the hole that he had created. “Like the military. Only the alphas can serve there and when I’m old enough, I’m going to join and kick some German butt.” Dustin gushed further. 

Steve could feel his heart clench at Dustin’s words. It was true that war seemed to be inevitable and he knew that as soon as it was announced that Billy would be among the first to be called up to serve. Just the very thought of his mate being placed in harms way made his heart start to race and his anxious tics to settle in. Taking a deep breath and shaking his head clear of the dark thoughts that were starting to creep in, Steve turned his attention back to his class. “Yes Dustin, alphas do get some cool jobs like being able to join the military but that doesn’t mean that being an omega is that bad.”

“Yeah. Not that bad.” Jane piped up. It was a known fact that Jane didn’t speak much in class so when she did, everyone listened. “Your the only one who can tell Billy what to do,” she said bluntly, referencing Billy and Steve’s relationship. Steve almost felt the need to put his head in his hands at the directness of Janes answer. 

“You’re on the right lines there, Jane. You are right in that Omegas can tell Alphas what to do but you have to be a mated pair and it works best when the Alpha is in a hostile situation, such as a fight.” Steve replied.

“That’s actually kinda cool,” Will piped up.

“Of course it is.” Lucas said. “No one would be able to tell you what to do expect one person.” 

Steve just sat back in his chair and listened as the children continued to argue.

#####

Steve took a deep breath as he entered the small house that he and Billy occupied and smiled as he took in the familiar scent of leather and lightning. “Babe?” He called out into the house and was rewarded with a faint response that sounded like it came from the back of the house. After a few unsuccessful looks in various rooms, he eventually found Billy curled up on the couch, twisting an oil covered object in his hand. This coupled with the fact that Billy seemed to be on high alert, muscles taut and his scent smelling stronger and angrier the closer Steve got suggested that all was not well with the alpha. 

Billy hated talking when he was in one of these moods, preferring to just sit and fiddle with whatever was close to hand. Steve gently took the oil covered car part out of his alphas hands and replaced it with his own hand while snuggling into Billy’s side. As he watched Billy start to twist some of the rings on Steve’s fingers, Steve released his own scent into the air knowing that it would help soothe the on edge alpha. The smell of apple and strawberry mixing in with his own scent seemed to calm Billy and as several minutes passed, Steve felt Billy grow more relaxed next to him. 

Steve felt a kiss being placed on his head before another one followed over his mating mark. Clearly, Billy could smell the sour tinge of Steve’s heat working its way into his scent. Before Billy could take it any further, Steve shifted and gently took Billy’s face in his hands. Blue eyes stared back at home with just a hint of confusion in them. It was rare that Steve took control in these types of situations. “Talk to me Billy. Somethings upset you. Don’t try and lie and tell me everything is fine. I know you. Plus you’ve got it all over your scent.” 

A half chocked laugh forced its way out of Billy’s throat before his eyes flickered briefly downwards. When they came back up to meet Steve’s, there were tears in them. “I guess wars coming, princess. I’m reporting for military training on Monday.”


	2. Chapter 2

Steve wished that the faint rays of light that were starting to fill up his bedroom were just a figment of his imagination and not the reality that he didn’t want to face. Peeling his eyes open, he rolled his head towards the window and was met with the sight of his mate still fast asleep. Billy was beautiful in sleep. The lines that occupied his face during waking hours were wiped away and he looked ten years younger. The carefully cared for blond ringlets were stuck out at all angles across the pillow and his limbs were splayed across the bed to match. Despite being mated for almost two years, Steve knew he would never get sick of the rare morning where he would wake up first and just get to watch the alpha sleep. 

Reaching out to brush a lock of hair that had fallen onto Billy’s forehead, Steve gave a small jump as Billy’s hand grabbed his hand instead and intertwined them. Two eyes cracked open and Steve could see a sliver of blue. “Hey, pretty boy,” Billy rumbled from deep within his chest and Steve would be lying if his dick hadn’t twitched slightly at the sound. Choosing to ignore the morning breath of both, Steve leaned down to deliver a kiss to Billy’s lips before proceeding to let out a small squeak as he suddenly felt the alphas body move fluidly beneath him and flip him over. Billy had chucked at the sound and gave Steve’s mating mark a small rub with his nose. The smell of strawberry and apple started to fill the small room with a slight undertone of leather and lightning. 

After what seemed to Steve to be forever but he knew in reality to be a few minutes, he gently pushed Billy off him before swinging his legs over the side of the bed. He heard Billy give a sigh behind him and he turned back around to gently take the alphas face in his hands. “Come on now, grumps. I don’t want to be know as the omega who can’t keep his alpha on time for military service now do I? I mean, I’d never be able to look Mrs Bohemian from book club in the eyes again. And you know how much I love my book club.” A laugh reverberated from deep within Billy’s chest before he started to get up. 

##

Steve was determined that his last morning with his alpha was going to be a good one. He’d promised himself throughout his heat over the weekend that there would be no tears and that he would send Billy off with a smile. But he couldn’t help himself from feeling his heart break just a bit as he shuffled towards the kitchen and spotted Billy’s kit bag lying by the door, waiting for the alpha to leave. Clearly, his emotions had seeped into his scent because the next thing Steve knew, a pair of strong arms were being wrapped around him and the smell of leather and lightning began to fill his nose. Turning around so he could place his head in the crock of Billys neck and take a few deep breaths of the comforting scent in an attempt to soothe himself. He cursed himself in his head. It shouldn’t be up to Billy to soothe him on today of all days. He was the omega, it was his job. He wasn’t the one going off to a job on which he may never return. But here he was in the middle of the hallway taking deep sniff of Billy’s scent and trying desperately not to make the shoulder of Billy’s t-shirt damp. After a few more steadying breaths, Steve pulled back, cheeks flushed with embarrassment and hands wiping desperately at tear filled eyes. He felt a gentle pull at his hand as Billy started to guide him into the kitchen and upon entering, started to pull various items from the cupboard in an attempt to distract himself. Wrapped up in his automatic actions and allowing his mind to wander meant that it took a few seconds for Steve to realise that Billy was calling him. 

“Steve?” The omega in question turned from where he had placed the kettle on the hob to start boiling, head cocked to the side with intrigue. “You’ll be okay while I’m gone, won’t you?” Steve blinked slowly, processing what he has just been asked. 

“Of course I will, Billy. What kind of stupid question is that?” Steve replied, stepping back towards the alpha to offer his wrist while his other hand cupped Billy’s face. Steve felt his heart splinter into smaller pieces still as he watched Billy’s eyes fill with tears as he nuzzled deeper into Steve’s wrist. Billy’s leather and lightning scent took on an acrid scent that Steve knew to take as the alpha being distressed to the point where he struggled to express it and in previous incidents, had resulted in Billy physically lashing out. Steve silently cursed Neil Hargrove for failing to teach his son that it was okay to access certain emotions while moving his hand to start running through Billy’s hair. 

“I’m just going to be gone for so long and you’ll be here in this house all by yourself. I just don’t want you to get lonely,” Billy whispered. 

“Oh, sweetheart. Your just a giant softy under all that rugged exterior aren’t you? I’ll still have Max over every Friday. She loves me and she’ll almost certainly be dragging over the rest of our little Hargrove hoard. And I’ll have Jonathan down the street and I’m sure we’ll spend plenty an evening swapping stories about our alphas if needs be. So don’t worry yourself, Billy darling.” 

Billy just gave a watery smile in response before Steve leant down and gave him a quick kiss.

#####

Seeing Billy off at the train station had been one of the most upsetting and yet challenging situations Steve has ever experienced. Billy had seemingly gone on high alert from the moment they had stepped out the door. Steve had turned to lock the door and when he turned back around, Billy was eyeing up someone at the end of the street who Steve guessed was another alpha based on the way that a deep growl was reverberating from the back of Billy’s throat. Steve had placed his hand on Billy’s shoulder which had brought the alpha out of whatever state he’d gotten himself into. He’d stood there for a few seconds in a state of confusion before giving Steve a small smile.

They’d bumped into Nancy and Jonathan at the end of the street, Nancy catching the same train as Billy. Steve had been surprised to see Billy on high alert from the moment that Steve stepped forward to give Nancy a hug, the fellow alpha given Steve a concerned glance. Steve just shrugged his shoulders, confused at why Billy was suddenly asserting his dominance with every alpha in town. Billy had calmed down slightly when Steve started to strike up a conversation with Jonathan about his work with the local newspaper, only occasionally letting out a small growl when they passed another alpha on the street. 

The station was the worst in Steve’s mind. All the other alphas of Hawkins were there, placing their kit bags in overhead storage or saying goodbye to their respective mates. Steve wasn’t sure if Billy was aware or not but his scent had increased three fold and there was something there that Steve couldn’t quite place. An acrid undertone to the scent he normally loved so much. Billy must have noticed as Steve felt his own scent turn sour as he started to get upset. The acrid undertone disappeared slightly and Billy offered his wrist to Steve to soothe him. 

After what felt like too little time, the conductor was blowing his whistle and Billy was pulling away from Steve. Steve saw those beautiful blue eyes fill with tears before giving Steve one last kiss and following Nancy aboard the train. Jonathan moved to stand next to Steve, both hoping that the other would be a source of comfort as they watched their alphas train pull out of the station and into an uncertain future.


	3. Chapter 3

Steve was fine. He was sure he was fine. But here he was, head over the toilet seat for the third day in a row, throwing up the measly portion of crackers he’d had for lunch. The nausea had first hit him in the middle of writing a maths problem on the board for his kids and had forced him to stop and take a few deep steadying breaths to try and prevent him running to the nearest bin and vomiting into it. He been made aware of the blood draining from his face when Max had piped up and asked why he looked like a “fucked up snowman.” Steve just reprimanded her for her language and carried on teaching. 

The nausea came like a brick again when he’d been walking back home with Max. Ever since Steve and Billy had mated, they would have Max over every Friday night to give Susan a break. Since this particular Friday night was to be without Billy, Max had asked that they get chips instead of whatever Steve would have made at home. Steve could hardly say no as he could tell the girl was missing her brother so he had agreed to a quick detour. When they had got to within five meters of the shop, the aroma of battered fish had made Steve gag and he was forced to press a note into Max’s hand. He’d sent her on into the shop to pick up meals for the both of them while Steve peddled backwards until he had reached a spot where the smell of fish was gone from his nose but he was still able to see Max’s bright red hair in the queue, swinging from side to side as she talked eagerly to the server. He’d found himself almost crying at that point, wishing Billy was there. Wishing he could bury himself in his alphas neck, letting the smell of leather and lightning overpower the smell of fish that was making him feel so sick. 

Feeling something be pushed into his hands, Steve looked down to see Max offering him a bag of chips while also struggling to hold onto several newspaper wrapped pieces of fish. Shaking all thoughts of Billy from his mind, he quickly grabbed the chips before their dinner ended up over the floor. The smell of fish had lingered in his nose for the rest of the night causing Steve to run to the bathroom the moment that Susan had left with Max and spend the remainder of his evening hovering over the toilet. 

His weekend had followed a similar pattern, the only break in the cycle occurring when he raised his head from the toilet to hear someone knocking at the door. Groaning, Steve hauled himself up from his position next to the toilet and shuffled towards the door. Pulling the door open, he was hit by a whirlwind of blonde hair and bags as Robin Buckley strode into his house. Steve and Robin had known each other since their first day at the local high school and the two omegas had become fast friends. Steve even credited his relationship with Billy to Robin since she had been the one to hit them both over the head and admit their feelings for each other. 

If he didn’t know any better, he would have thought he’d somehow wound up at Robin’s place in a sickness induced haze the way Robin had confidently walked into Steve’s kitchen and started to remove various items from her shopping bags. “Robin, what are you doing?” Steve crocked out, voice hoarse from the bile that had burned his throat. 

“Geez, you look even worse that what Mrs Hargrove told me,” came the reply. When she was met with a confused look from Steve, she rolled her eyes. “I was helping my mum out at the store this morning and Mrs Hargrove came in looking for some more needle thread. She asked me whether I’d been in to check on you, dingus, since you looked like you were coming down with something when she picked Max up on Friday.” Robin rambled on. She paused in unloading the shopping she’d brought round to get a closer look at Steve who was leaning against the doorframe of the kitchen, feeling exhausted. She took a few quick steps across the room to place the back of her hand on Steve’s forehead. “Your not particularly warm,” she muttered as a flicker of confusion passed through her eyes. 

“Yeah, thanks for that but of information, captain obvious,” Steve replied as he shuffled towards a chair and collapsed into it. “Last time I checked, it doesn’t stop me from feeling shitty anyway. I’ve been throwing up since Friday and jeez what is that smell? It’s disgusting.” Steve’s eyes widened slightly as whatever was hitting his nose was making the brief respite he’d had from the nausea and vomiting end. As quickly as he’d sat down in the chair, he was up again pushing past Robin and heading towards the bathroom. Collapsing in front of the toilet, he started to empty his stomach of the breakfast he’d eaten that morning. He could hear Robin rummage through the shopping bags in the kitchen for a few moments followed by the sound of the bin opening and something being thrown into it. 

A few seconds later, Steve heard the door to the bathroom open and Robin crouch down next to him. She started to run her hand through Steve’s hair in an attempt to reassure him but all it did was cause a slight whimper to emerge from Steve’s throat. The action was reminding him of Billy, who would do the exact same every time every time his omega was in distress and it was just making him miss the alpha more. When Steve collapsed back onto the wall, he found Robin looking at him with the same concerned look that he had seen on her in the kitchen. “Robin, I’m fine. It’s probably just a bug I’ve picked up from one of the kids in my class. You know how much the mothers love to send the snivelling dipshits to school with all their nasty little germs.”

“But what if it’s not, Steve? What if it’s something else?”

“What else could it be apart from a bug?”

“Do the maths dingus. When was your last heat? A couple of weeks ago right?” 

“Wait, you don’t think...”

“Yes, I think so Steve. It all makes sense. Omegas can start to show symptoms early when their alpha isn’t around or is in a job that is dangerous and last I checked, Billy falls into both of those categories.”

###

And that was how Steve had found himself in the waiting room of his local doctors at the earliest opportunity that Robin had seen to drag him away from the bathroom. The only other people in the waiting room were a few elderly betas and a fretful omega woman sitting behind the desk. Robin was sat next to him, humming a song that Steve couldn’t quite place under her breath. 

“Steve Hargrove?” His name echoed out across the room and Steve found himself jerking up from where he had slumped down in his chair. A doctor was standing at the far end of the surgery and as Steve got closer, he could smell the bland smell that indicated beta. Following the doctor to a small office, he sat down in the chair the doctor offered while the doctor pulled a pen and paper towards himself.

“Now what brings you here today Mr Hargrove?”

“Well my friend thinks I’m pregnant but I’m of the mind that it’s just a bug. I’m a teacher at the local school and the kids are always bringing in some new bug.”

“Okay. There’s a simple test we can do to see if your pregnant. It’s just a simple blood test and we should have the results back within half an hour.” The doctor said while scribbling away on his paper.

After a few more questions and giving a blood sample, Steve was back in the waiting room with Robin, who seemingly hadn’t moved at all in the time that Steve had been gone. 

“Steve, your doing it again.” Robin said without looking up.

“Doing what, Robin?”

“The leg thing.”

Steve looked down to see his leg rapidly bouncing up and down and immediately clapped a hand on his leg to stop it. The bland smell of a beta filled his nose again as he saw the beta doctor enter the room again and waving him over. 

“You want me to come with you?” Robin asked.

Steve just nodded silently. Now that the moment of truth was here, he found himself filled with nerves. Robin didn’t say another word, just put down her magazine and followed Steve and the doctor into the same small office that Steve had occupied before. 

“Well, Mr Hargrove. I have the results here. I can confirm...”


	4. Chapter 4

Steve was sure he’d dreamt it. Lying in bed the morning after, he was sure that it was a widely vivid dream. But he was reminded of it as he rolled onto his side and saw the vitamins that the doctor had given him sitting on the night stand. It was real. He was pregnant. It was early days, he knew. After all, his mother had suffered a series of miscarriages before having Steve, her only child. Billy had been an only child as well, his mother dying in childbirth to a sister that had died soon after birth. But those facts didn’t stop the smile from spreading across his face. It was really happening. 

But the tears began to fall as he stretched his limbs out and his hand landed on the cold half of the bed. He wanted Billy there so badly it hurt. Billy should have been there when he found out. He had the right to know that he was going to be a father. But instead he was 3,000 miles away and Steve didn’t know when he would be back. He ran a hand over his stomach, hoping that the human growing inside him would know their father. 

######

Out of all the places that Steve expected to end up that day, he certainly didn’t expect it to be Jonathan Wheeler’s kitchen. But here he was. He’d been taking advantage of the fact that his kids were on a half term by taking himself on a walk, something that he rarely got time to do. He’d barely made it down the street before he had notice Jonathon coming the other way, struggling to carry several bags of shopping. As he had watched, one of the bags had slipped from Jonathan’s hand and fell onto the pavement, spilling fruit everywhere. Jonathon had dropped to the floor, trying desperately to grab the fruit as they rolled away from him and place them back in the bag. Steve grabbed some of the apples and handed them back to Jonathon, who had looked pleasantly surprised and clearly hadn’t noticed Steve approaching.

“You want some help with those bags, Wheeler?” Steve had asked.

“Umm, sure. That’s if that’s not a bother to you,” Jonathon had sputtered out. Steve had just smiled and grabbed a few of the bags that were closest to him. He’d waited a few seconds to allow Jonathon to stand back up before starting to walk back towards the Wheeler house, only a few doors down from Steve and Billy. 

Upon reaching the door, Jonathan had frantically scrambled in his pockets for his key before opening the door and gesturing for Steve to come inside. Steve had barely closed the door behind him when he heard a small yell from the kitchen. Concerned, Steve had quickly stepped into the kitchen to find Joyce Hopper, Jonathan’s mother, sitting in a kitchen chair, with her mate, Jim, standing by the window. 

“Mum, I didn’t think you were coming by today. I would have gone out earlier if I’d have know,” Jonathan was in the middle of saying. “Actually, how did you get in here? We haven’t had a chance to make you a key yet.” 

“We used the back door sweetie. You left it open so we presumed you were in the house somewhere and hadn’t heard us knock. We realised you weren’t home just as you came in with the shopping. Oh, hi Steve,” Joyce rambled, clearly only just noticing Steve, who was loitering around the door to the kitchen, unsure what to do with the bags that he was holding. 

Jonathon rushed forward to take the bags from Steve’s hands while Joyce continued to make herself at home. “I’ll do the tea, Jonathon. Steve? Do you want one?” She asked as she started to bustle around the kitchen, filling the kettle with water and placing it on the stove. Turning the stove on, she turned towards her mate. “Jim, would you sit down please? There is enough chairs for everyone here.” She gently scolded while pushing Jim towards one of the chairs. 

Within the next few minutes, Steve was clutching a steaming cup and listening to Joyce talking about a customer she had had in her shop. Steve wasn’t paying much attention though, too many things about the baby running through his head. He didn’t realise that the conversation had stopped until Joyce’s voice broke through the mist calling his name. “Steve, are you okay?”

“Yes. Sorry. Mind just a bit all over the place at the moment.” Steve reassured. 

“You sure about that kid?” Hopper spoke up. Steve thought he could hear a hint of concern in the police chief’s voice. “The secretaries have been talking. Flo said you were down at the doctors a couple of days ago."

Steve could feel the blush rushing to his cheeks. He forgot that in a town like Hawkins, everyone knew everyone’s business. 

“Nothing bad, Hop. I promise.” Steve replied, fiddling with a loose tread of his jumper. Joyce and Jim had become second parents to both Steve and Billy over the years, Joyce helping Steve patch Billy back together when Neil had let his emotions out on his son and Jim helping them build a case against Neil that resulted in Neil being placed behind bars several years ago. But Steve found himself filled with nerves at the thought of telling them his news. 

“I’m pregnant,” he found himself blurting out. Joyce immediately leapt out of her chair to pull Steve into a hug. Steve could see Jim out of the corner of his eye, giving him a slight smile. Steve had rarely seen the alpha smile and he felt his heart warm at the sight. As soon as he was released from Joyce’s arms, Steve felt Jonathon pull him into a hug and whisper a congratulations in his ear in the way only Jonathon would.

Joyce almost immediately started to bombard Steve with questions that ranged from how far along he was to how he known. While Steve did his best to answer the onslaught, he found himself wondering if his alpha somehow already knew about the miracle that they had created just before he’d left.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> The final chapter of the introduction to my little stranger things world. There will be some drama I promise. Would you guys appreciate an occasional chapter from Billy’s POV?


	5. Chapter 5

Billy ached all over. His limbs from the running, his head from the gun. Damn those things could be loud. But despite how exhausted his body was, he just couldn’t sleep. In fact, Billy didn’t think he’d sleep well ever since he’d said goodbye to Steve at the station all those weeks ago. He’d found himself missing going to sleep with Steve snuggled into his chest, waking up to Steve’s hair tickling his nose. But fate was cruel, as Billy had learned early on in life. And fate seemed to particularly hate Billy Hargrove. 

Just as he found himself in some semblance of sleep, there was a loud banging at the door to the barracks and his commanding officer marched in. “Up and at ‘em, boys. Get those lazy, no-good legs of yours moving up and out of bed. No dilly-dallying. That includes you Hagen.” A loud clang reverberated around the room as Colonel Koop kicked the metal frame of Tommy Hagen’s bed and causing the beta to let out a small scream and roll off the side of his bed. Billy couldn’t help but let out a chuckle as he watched Tommy scramble out of his duvet covers and maintain his dignity in front of the colonel at the same time. 

“I’ve been waiting for karma to get that guy since the day we got here,” Billy heard a voice say. Billy turned to see James Nikl looking at the fiasco that Tommy was creating while pulling his shoes on. 

“Dude, I’ve been waiting for far longer than that,” Billy replied. He’d found himself liking James ever since the two alphas had been assigned beds next to each other and bonded over their mutual dislike for Tommy Hagen. 

“Hargrove. Nikl. Stop the chatter and get a move on,” Koop barked at them from across the room. 

“Yes, sir.”

#####

Once the troop had been ushered out of the barracks, Koop had set them off on their usual pre-breakfast mile-long run. Billy didn’t mind this so he’d tuned out the groans and complains of the rest of the regiment and turned his thoughts to Steve. He thought about the last time that he had seen him, the glisten of tears on his cheeks as Billy had pulled out of the station. But there had been something that was bugging him about his omega that last day that he couldn’t quite place. There had seemed to be a slight sweetness to Steve’s smell that hadn’t been there before and Billy remembered that scent causing his protective side to rear its head and protect Steve from any alpha that came into the vicinity, even ones that they trusted like Nancy. Billy had been racking his brains for the past few weeks, trying to figure out why Steve’s scent had changed but couldn’t come up with any ideas. He’d found himself wishing that a few of his fellow alphas in the regiment would be able to provide him with some answers but had been sorely disappointed to find that he was the only mated one aside from Nancy, who he definitely didn’t feel comfortable confiding in. She and Jonathan had always been more of Steve’s friends anyway.

Before he knew it, Koop was blowing his whistle to signify that their one mile was up and the regiment fell into formation in front of him. Billy caught sight of James several rows over who childishly stuck his tongue out at him. Before Billy had the chance to respond, Koop was demanding their attention. “I received some news overnight that affects this regiment. They have decided that I have done a decent enough job in training you all that they want this regiment to be deployed early.” 

Billy felt the blood drain from his face. They’d been promised leave before deployment. Time to say goodbye to family. To spend snuggled with Steve on their couch and just remember his scent. One last fish and chips with Max and throwing their chips at seagulls and betting on which would catch them. “Don’t you whiners worry about seeing your precious families. I did negotiate that if they’re going to deploy my boys early, then you guys get your leave. Well? What are you waiting for? The train leaves in half an hour and if you miss it, it’ll just be me, you and some good old alcohol that I’ve stashed away.”

#####

Billy had never felt more nervous to see Steve again. He was more nervous than when he’d asked the omega out for the first time. Hell, he was more nervous than when he’s asked Steve if he wanted to mate Billy. Turning the key in the lock and opening the door, he was hit with the scent that he had missed so much. But the sweetness that he had noticed before he left had only increased tenfold. He sensed the confusion fill his own scent and as he shut the door behind himself, he saw Steve’s head stick out of the kitchen. Billy barely had time to drop his bag before Steve had ran into his arms and buried his head in the crook of Billy’s neck. “I’ve missed you so much, you know that right?” Billy murmured into Steve’s neck. 

“And I’ve missed you too, B. Come on, I’m just in the middle of cooking. How come your back early? I thought you’d be gone for a few more weeks at least,” Steve started to ramble while pulling Billy into the kitchen. Billy couldn’t help but smile. He found it adorable when Steve would get flustered and just talk about whatever came into his mind. This wasn’t one of those times however. There was a sharp undertone gently pushing its way into Steve’s scent and Billy knew that this was a nervous rant. What the heck did Steve have to be nervous about?

Billy gently reached out and grabbed Steve’s hand, fingers gently running over his mates knuckles in what he hoped was a reassuring manner. “What’s got you all worked up Harrington? You’re stressed and you know I hate it when you’re like this.” Steve was silent for a few moments before letting go of Billy’s hand, pressing a kiss to his forehead and leaving the room. Billy just sat there, confused about what he could have possibly have said to make Steve leave. His mind wasn’t left wondering for long as Steve returned a few seconds later, clutching a small book in his hand and looking as nervous as Billy had ever seen him. Sitting down on the opposite side of the table, Steve silently pushed the book towards him before immediately starting to fiddle with the threads of his jumper.

Billy took the book and turned it over to see the title How to deal with a first-time pregnancy. He’d sat there in shock for a few moments, eyes flickering between Steve and the book. He was snapped out of his reverie by the sight of Steve’s eyes filling with tears and his scent taking on a panicked edge. “We’re going to be parents?” Steve broke out in a small smile and nodded as Billy let out a shout of excitement and raced around the table to pull the omega into a hug. 

#####

The few days he’d had with Steve had been perfect. Billy had been lucky enough to arrive home late Friday evening so Steve hadn’t had to go to work during his short stay. Saturday had been spent lying in bed, setting the world to rights and laying down the foundations of how Steve could start preparing for their new arrival while Billy was away. Sunday, Max had had appeared and thrown herself into Billy’s arms the moment she saw him, already talking a mile a minute about her new niece or nephew. 

But now Billy found himself on an armoured truck heading towards the front like. An acrid smell filled his nose, drowning out everything else. There was a faint whistling that Billy suspected was the distant flying of bombs on the front line. James could be heard next to Billy, clutching at his cross necklace and muttering what Billy assumed to be a prayer under his breath. Sat across from him, Nancy was shaking, her hands barely keeping a hold of her gun. Billy was tempted to grab it before she dropped it and it went off. But he didn’t because he knew that Koop would take it as an opportunity to launch into a lecture on how every alpha needed to be able to hold their own within the regiment. Instead, he made do with gently poking Nancy in the leg with his door and sending her a reassuring smile that he hoped would help put her at ease.The next thing he knew was a large bang, the sensation of the truck being flung into the air and the screams of his fellow soldiers.


	6. Chapter 6

Steve would forever be grateful that it had happened during lunch. He’d been sat at his desk, eating while marking some homework his kids had handed in when it had him. A sudden sharp pain, starting in his shoulder followed by a wave of terror and confusion. His hand had flown to his stomach, thinking that it was the baby before realising that this wasn’t his pain. His mating mark had started to burn and when Steve had reached up to touch it, his fingers had come away with a small amount of blood. He’d let out a small whimper, knowing that it wasn’t him that was hurting but rather Billy. 

As soon as he’d let the kids free for the day, he’d immediately headed over to the Wheeler house, fist pounding the door as soon as he’d arrived. He’d been greeted with the sight of Jonathan pulling the door open, looking even paler than usual. ‘Did you feel it too?’ Jonathan’s eyes seemed to be saying. Steve just nodded in response to the unanswered question and Jonathon immediately opened up the door to allow Steve to enter. Following Jonathan into the kitchen, Steve let the full weight of emotion slam into him and he found himself collapsing into the nearest chair. He hadn’t realised that a few minutes had passed until he felt a hot mug being pushed into his hands and looked up to see Jonathon sipping his own tea. 

“What was it?” Jonathon whispered. Steve felt a stab of pain for the fellow omega. This was clearly his first time feeling Nancy through the mating bond that was in any way related to physical hurt. Steve, on the other hand was used to it, the omega reaching the point where he would be sat with the first aid kit in the living room before his alpha had even thrown a punch in whatever fight he’d wound up in. Taking a sip from his cup, Steve took a moment to compose himself before replying. 

“From experience, I would put money on something happening to the regiment but it’s so soon after the departure that I almost don’t want to believe it.” 

Jonathon shook his head in disbelief. “I’d agree with you. Something definitely has happened. But as to what I’ll guess we’ll have to hope it’s nothing too bad. Probably your Billy causing some shit and Nance trying to break it up.”

Steve hoped it was that but he found himself having difficulty believing that.

######

Robin was lounging around on Steve’s bed, filling Steve in on the latest gossip happening in Hawkins. Which meant that she was talking about Tammy Thompson again. Robin had been obsessed with Tammy for as long as Steve had known her and had faithfully attended every one of the alphas performances at local bars, despite there being no relationship and Tammy being the most tome deaf person Steve had ever met.

“She was singing Over the Rainbow. You know that new one from Judy Garland. Yes, for your information, it was terribly out of key and I’m sure if it was possible and we were in some sort of medieval town, she would have had food thrown at her. But she just looked so gorgeous, like...”

“The goddess Aphrodite? A literal angel?” Steve finished for her. Robin stuck her finger up in response. Steve just chuckled and stood up from the chair where he had been curled up. Poking Robin’s legs with his foot and causing her to shift and make room on the bed for him, Steve collapsed onto the bed next to her. 

“I’m going to get fat,” he said miserably.

Robin just cackled and replied with “When did you figure that out, genius?”

Steve was very sorely tempted to smack Robin in the face with a pillow. He refrained from doing so. 

“This morning,” came the reply, Steve sounding even more miserable if possible. “This shirt feels tighter, even though you can’t see anything.”

Robin lifted her head up slightly as if to confirm what Steve was saying before letting it flop back down. “Of course you’re going to get bigger, dingus. It’s called being pregnant. And since Billy can’t tell you this himself, I guess that job falls to me. You will never, ever be fat. Do you hear me, Harrington?”

“Hargrove,” Steve corrected, voice thick with emotion. Robin just gave him a slight shove in response before letting out a deep sigh and pulling Steve into a hug. They sat like that for several minutes before Steve felt a familiar sensation. Frantically pulling himself out of the hug, he launched himself from the bed and into the bathroom. Making it just in time to the toilet, Steve started to throw up watery bile, a tear running down his cheek as it began to burn his throat. Robin was there as he collapsed back against the wall, handing him a glass filled with water. Steve gratefully took it, taking cautious sips as to avoid upsetting his stomach again. 

“Geez, dingus. Seven weeks in and the baby is already kicking your ass. Guess we know for certain that Hargrove is the father now.”

Steve’s only response was to stick his middle finger in the air. 

#######

Max seemed to be unusually quiet when they were walking home from Hawkins Middle the following Friday. She’d loved talking Steve’s ear off the past few weeks about whatever baby books she’d managed to get her hands on in Hawkins library. But she’d been quiet all day, only answering questions that Steve directed at her specifically and hanging at the edges of her little group of friends. Steve knew something was wrong. It couldn’t be Neil right? The alpha hadn’t been due out of jail for another six months at least. But it was within the realm of possibility that the Neil had charmed his way out early due to good behaviour. 

Two hours later and Max had still barely spoken two words to Steve. He was sure that the only words that had come out of her mouth was a quiet thank you when he had placed a bowl of her favourite chicken dish in front of her. But Steve knew better than to push her. Max was very much like her brother in that they found it hard to articulate emotions and would often go on the attack if anyone was to push them into doing so. 

Halfway through the meal, Steve could see Max preparing to talk. But before she could open her mouth, there was a loud banging on the door. Max paled at the sound and Steve felt his heart rate pick up at the sight. There was only one person who could get a reaction like that out of Max. His suspicion was confirmed as he pulled the door open slightly. Neil Hargrove was back.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Would you guys prefer short chapters like this every few days or longer ones more spread out?


	7. Chapter 7

Steve had never felt more terrified in his entire life. The sight of Neil Hargrove standing at his door with a smug grin on his face was enough to sent shivers down Steve’s spine. 

“Well, aren’t you going to let your old man in?” Neil said, a slight threat hanging behind the words. ‘You’re no ones old man’ Steve found himself thinking. Billy and Steve had cut Neil off after he almost killed Billy for daring to get together with a male omega. He was traditional like that. The only time that they had seen him since them was at the trial to place Neil behind bars. So to see him here now could only spell trouble in Steve’s book. 

Knowing that he wouldn’t want the inevitable showdown to occur on the streets, Steve stepped back to allow Neil to enter the house before shutting the door and heading back to the kitchen. Finding Neil already there and looking at Max with a glint in his eye that Steve didn’t like at all, he placed himself between the girl and her stepfather, hoping to provide at least a small amount of reassurance to Max. “You certainly haven’t changed, Steven,” Neil growled. “You even smell different from what I remember.”

“That’s because he’s pregnant so don’t you dare even touch him,” Max piped up. Steve could hear the terror in her voice, terror that Neil would do something to Steve and he couldn’t help but close his eyes. He knew that the information would be a goldmine for Neil and he’d had no intention of ever telling him. “Is that true, whore? You knocked up now? Cant be very far along or you’d be showing more. In fact are we even sure it’s my sons? Could it be that one of your many friends is the father and your trying to trick my son into thinking that that’s his pup your carrying?” Neil began to twist the words in like a knife but Steve was determined not to cry in front of him. He wasn’t going to give him that satisfaction. 

“What do you want, Neil? Have you just come to throw some shitty insults around because if that is the case, then I would politely ask you to leave,” Steve said, hoping that the nerves that he felt were seeping into his voice and giving Neil more weaponry to use against him.

“Well I couldn’t leave my darling son-in-law alone after the news that came through. Haven’t you heard or did it go over your head while you were whoring around?” 

Steve felt terror hit him full force. Neil had to mean Billy. That pain that both he and Jonathon had felt must have been so much worse than the fight they had tried to pass them off as. But he would have been told surely as Billy’s mate if something had happened. Surely he would have, wouldn’t he?

“What are you talking about? What news?” Steve managed to choke out feeling his mouth go dry. He could see the glint of malice in Neil’s eye as he took on the situation. 

“Oh. So you haven’t heard. The regiments truck got hit by a land mine on the way to the trenches. Couple have been hurt pretty bad from what I’ve heard. Better hope one of those isn’t that piece of shit I call a son. He’s the only thing standing between you and a shitty reputation as an omega who’ll spread his legs for anyone.” Neil growled, backing Steve into a corner as he poked his finger into the omegas chest. 

“Get out,” came Steve’s reply which sounded a lot more confident than Steve felt. Steve was more than surprised when Neil seemed to listen, the alpha backing off and turning towards the door. Steve stepped out into the hallway to be certain that he was leaving and watched as the alpha stopped with his hand on the door handle. 

“I can’t believe it. I almost forgot to get you a present for the pup you claim is my grandchild.” Steve barely had time to react before Neil’s hands were on his shoulder and pushing him violently to the floor. Neil managed to get in a few well aimed kicks to Steve’s stomach before he curled in in pain. Steve could hear Max screaming from the kitchen, begging Neil to stop. The next thing he knew was darkness as Neil’s foot connected with his head.

#####

He woke to the sound of somebody crying. Forcing himself to peel his eyes open, it took him a few seconds for his eyes to focus and see Max, sitting in what looked like the worlds most uncomfortable hospital chair and looking at him with tears running down her face. The rest of the ‘Hargrove Hoard’ were scattered around on various chairs, the boys fast asleep and El just humming a tune that Steve didn’t recognise under her breath. He assumed that they were here as Max’s moral support.Steve immediately reached up and attempted to wipe the tears off Max’s face, only for more to quickly replace them. He felt his own eyes widen as he remembered the events that had led up to him blacking out. 

“You’re okay Steve. Both you and the baby are okay,” a voice on the other side of Steve said. He rolled his head over, wincing at the flash of pain that brought about and saw Robin uncurling herself from her chair. 

“Are you sure?” He croaked out, seemingly in disbelief that he and the baby had walked away without a scratch. He received a nod of confirmation from Robin and that was all it took for the tears to start rolling down his face. It hadn’t been until the blows had started to land that the prospect of losing the one current link he had with Billy had started to become real and Steve found himself praying to every form of god that there was that their child was still alive. Steve wasn’t sure he would have been able to cope if something had happened. “Neil?” He asked, wondering what had happened after he had blacked out.

“I tried to get Neil to stop but he wouldn’t. I promise, Steve. I really did try.” Max burst out crying at this point and Steve felt his heart break at the sound of her voice. No thirteen year old should have to witness their stepfather beat their pregnant brother in law in front of them. He just opened his arms and Max didn’t hesitate before climbing onto the bed and crawling into his arms. 

Seeing that Max was in no fit state to carry on with the story, Robin started to fill in the blanks for Steve. “The kid did good. She managed to get out of there and make it to Jonathan’s house. Lucky that Hop and Joyce were there. Unfortunately that shithead must had fled when he realised that Max had gotten out cause he’d gone by the time they’d gotten back and just found you on the floor with that pretty face of yours all bruised and bloody.”

Steve couldn’t help but feel a sense of relief that Max hadn’t been hurt at any point but the knowledge that Neil was still out there, lurking in the background terrified him. What if the next time he came around for a chat, he ended up killing Steve or the baby? But he had to protect Max as well. Susan would do anything for her husband including allow him to stay in the house they lived in without notifying the police. Neil Hargrove’s reign of terror had seemingly only just begun.


	8. Chapter 8

The last few weeks had been hell for Billy. The terror of the truck flipping had haunted him since it had occurred, its image imprinted on the back of his eyelids and it being played on a constant reel in his mind. He could still hear the yells of the injured soldiers, smell the acrid stench of smoke from the truck in his nose. Billy just thanked his lucky stars that he had been one of the lucky ones, having walked away from the incident with heavily bruised ribs and a sprained ankle. That hadn’t been enough to get him on medical leave so Billy, along with Nancy and James, who had both walked away with minor injuries, found themselves several days later climbing into another truck with a different regiment to make it to the front line. 

The sights that greeted them there had been like a scene out of Billy’s worst nightmare. The men that they walked past in the trenches all had the same haggard, weary look that implied these men had seen humanity at its worst. If the sight of the men they were going to be fighting alongside hadn’t been enough to scare Billy, then where they were expected to sleep definitely was the straw on the camels back. The walls were mud, like the rest of the trenches, with planks of wood nailed on in a poor attempt to try and prevent the walls sliding in. There were four beds crammed into the small space and Nancy, James and Billy were joined by the snivelling alpha, Tommy Hagen, that Billy could have swore that Koop put there to drive Billy personally up the wall. She spent every waking moment giving the group a breakdown of every possible way in which they could all be killed and was generally dragging the mood of the group down in Billy’s opinion. 

He’d felt himself going through the motions over the next few hours and days as the regiment got settled into military life and the constant danger they were in. He got used to the gunfire, used to the never ending barking of orders, used to the pain in his fingers after long days operating the guns. He could sleep through pretty much anything at this point, only waking when the bell rang to tell them it was the start of another day. The only thing that had kept him going through this first terrifying week had been the thought of Steve and their child. He had been in a state of disbelief when Steve had told him but the wave of happiness had quickly washed over that. It almost hadn’t felt real, that there would soon be a little Billy or Steve running around their house and just generally causing chaos. He’d found himself hating the military for taking him away from Steve during this time, knowing that he should be back in Hawkins. Back at Steve’s side, protecting him and just experiencing their parenthood journey together. But here he was, over 10,000 miles away, in a country he’d never visited before fighting a war that he hadn’t volunteered to fight in. 

That gut feeling that he should be with Steve had been confirmed at the thing that the army tried to pass off as dinner. Pain had started to radiate through his ribs that Billy had initially passed off as his broken ribs but he’d known something was wrong when his head suddenly felt like he was experiencing the worst headache of his life. He’d dropped his fork into his dinner to clutch at his head in a futile attempt to relieve it. He could faintly hear James and Nancy calling his name and he managed to chock out “It hurts.” 

He continued to panic in this onslaught of pain until he heard the faint buzz of Nancy’s voice say “Steve.” The mention of his omega had been enough to drag Billy out of his cloud of pain. Billy was unsure as to why Nancy had felt the need to mention him until he saw the spots of blood on Nancy’s fingertips. His hand flew to his mating mark and felt absolute horror as his hand came away with blood on it.

#### 

Before Billy had enough time to process what had happened, he found himself sat before Koop in the early hours of the next morning. He was barely listening to what his senior officer was saying, the words ‘Neil’ ‘Assault’ and ‘Steve’ swirling around his head. Neil was back in Hawkins, bringing hell down upon his family and Billy couldn’t protected them from him. 

“Hargrove, are you even listening to me?” 

“Yes of course sir,” came the automatic reply even though Billy hadn’t been listening for the last five minutes to what the senior office had said. Clearly Koop could smell the lie and visibly rolled his eyes. 

“I’ve managed somehow to persuade those above me to allow you access to a phone but only for ten minutes and I expect you to be on your best behaviour the rest of the time. Is that clear? No causing shit with Lieutenant Hagen or whatever his name is that’s a thorn in your side.”

Billy just nodded eagerly, desperate for any chance to hear Steve’s voice and hear from the omega himself that both he and their pup was okay. Following Koop’s directions for a seeming age to find where the telephone was located, Billy immediately grabbed it and punched in the phone number that Koop had given him for the hospital. Foot tapping impatiently on the floor while he was transferred, Billy almost burst into tears when a familiar but heartbroken voice said “Billy?”

“Hey, pretty boy. It’s me. How are you? Are you and the baby okay” Billy only paused to take in a breath but that was all Steve needed to jump in and reassure the alpha. 

“We’re both as good as can be in the circumstances. The baby’s still alive Billy. God, I was so scared I was going to lose it. And Max was watching the whole thing.”

Billy could sense Steve working his way up into a panic and his body automatically started to fill the room with his scent before his mind remembered that it couldn’t help. “Steve, babe. Take a deep breath. We don’t need you getting more worked up because that’s not good for anyone okay? Trust me. Please tell me you have somewhere to go. I don’t want you to be on your own until I can get home.”

“Joyce and Hop have offered Max and I the spare rooms in their house. Hop doesn’t want Max staying with Susan anymore. He thinks she may be a potential place where Neil could hide out and he doesn’t want Max to be in any more danger.”

Billy found himself praying to whatever god was watching over them for Joyce and Hop. He really didn’t know what would have happened if they didn’t have the couple in their life. It seemed only a few minutes later, in which he spent most of his time reassuring Steve that his ribs were healing well, before there was a knock on the door and a voice telling Billy that his time was now up and he was expected to head back to his regiment. 

######

The regiment was busy when he got back. James and Nancy were slinging guns over their shoulders and pulling on boots when he arrived back in their cramped little room. Tommy, who had apparently chosen today of all days to mess with Billy, had taken it upon himself to place Billy’s boots in a place unbeknownst to anyone but himself. Several minutes later and one pair of boots later, Billy was ready to strangle the fellow alpha but Koop’s words and Nancy’s hand on his shoulder kept him from doing so. Koop himself decided to stick his head in to see what was taking the four of them so long. 

“Let’s move it you four. I want you out and with the rest of the regiment in the next five minutes to go over the top.” 

Billy paled. Today of all days? Today of all days they wanted the Hawkins regiment to be cannon fodder for the Germans.


	9. Chapter 9

It had been two weeks since the assault and Steve was still terrified. The knowledge that Neil was still roaming Hawkins sent a chill down his spine and kept him up at night. Being with Joyce and Hopper had made the sleeping easier as he knew that Neil wouldn’t dare attack the Chief of Polices house but it was while he was teaching that he had felt most afraid. Neil had show that he wasn’t afraid to get violent in front of children. Max, the poor girl, climbed into Steve’s bed most nights as if to reassure herself that Steve was still there, still breathing.

That’s how he woke on Monday morning, Max curled around his body like a koala, breath ticking his neck. Gently untangling the girl from his body and shaking her gently to wake her up, he trudged into the bathroom to get started on his morning routine. In the middle of brushing his teeth, Steve caught a glimpse of himself in Joyce’s floor length mirror and paused. Something was different but he wasn’t quite sure what it was. He’d clearly been looking in the mirror for a while because he was pulled from his reverie by a banging on the door and Max yelling at him to hurry up. Quickly spitting the toothpaste in his mouth into the sink and swilling his mouth out, he opened the door to allow Max to enter and headed back to his bedroom. Pulling his pyjama shirt over his head, he realised what he’d noticed in the mirror earlier. His stomach had now taken on a slight roundness, a physical sign that he was in the early stages of pregnancy. Steve just found himself staring at it for a few seconds, a slight smile playing out across his face. His baby was really there. Knowing that he couldn’t spend all day staring at it, Steve quickly got changed and headed downstairs for breakfast.

To no ones surprise, both Joyce and Hopper were already up. Hopper was sat at the table sipping at a steaming cup of coffee with the newspaper already open while Joyce moved around the kitchen, pulling bowels and various food items from the cupboards. Noticing Steve enter the kitchen, Joyce gestured towards an empty chair and started to place food in front of Steve as he sat down. 

“You’re seeming slightly chirpier this morning kid,” Hopper grunted, eyes nor moving from the newspaper. Steve wondered how the alpha was able to make such observations without seemingly looking at people. 

Grabbing an apple from the pile of fruit that Joyce had placed on the table, Steve took a bite before replying, “I guess that the pregnancy is starting to feel real now. Like I’m actually going to be a parent in seven months.” 

“What’s brought this on, honey?” Joyce asked as she sat down beside Steve. 

Steve felt a rush of blood rush to his cheeks. “I noticed that I’m starting to show. Like you can actually tell if you look closely that an actual human being is growing inside me.” 

Joyce just chuckled. “I remember that with my boys. It’s scary but so wonderful. It’s definitely what made it real for Lonnie. It made it feel like he was involved.” Joyce trailed off as she realised what she’d said.

Steve rapidly changed the subject, not wanting to think about Billy and the milestones the alpha was missing. “It’s Max’s birthday next week. I was thinking we could do something. I mean its a big one. Fourteen.”

It was at this moment that Max wandered into the kitchen. Joyce jumped on this opportunity and asked, “Max, is there anything you want to do for your birthday?” Max pauses in the middle of making herself a bowl of cereal and chewed on her lip. 

“I guess i just want something small. Like just have the guys and El over if that’s okay?” 

“Of course. Anything you want sweetie. Any food in particular?”

Steve tuned out the trivial chat of Joyce and Max as he picked at the skin of the apple.

####

Jonathon met Steve and Max on the road heading towards the school. Jonathon had walked the two to school ever since the assault, Steve being too nervous to walk by himself. Max seemed oddly quiet on the walk, kicking at the pavement and scuffing the pair of shoes that she had brought recently and had been enamoured with. Upon reaching the school, Steve felt the familiar wave of nerves as Jonathon left them and headed off towards the art store where he worked. He found himself wishing tan5 there was a way that Jonathon could stay with him. The fellow omega had quickly become good at providing Steve with a sense of calm and protection that he’d hadn’t felt since Billy left. But he knew that it wasn’t possible and he couldn’t let his personal life get in the way of Jonathon own life. Steve saw Max up ahead, having wandered off towards the school and was confused as he watched the girl snap at Lucas who had ran up to say hello. Had something happened in the Hargrove hoard that he’d missed? Had Max felt that she couldn’t talk to him and kept whatever what happening bottled up? But things couldn’t have happened so quickly. She’d been talking about celebrating her birthday with them this morning. But at the same time it was entirely possible that she was lying. Both she and Billy were the same in that regard, lone wolves who struggled to open up to others because of a need to appear strong to the outside world.

Throughout the day, Steve could only watch on as Max’s behaviour deteriorated. It had started out by snapping every time one of her friends tried to talk to her and rapidly spiralled into snapping at Steve when he tried to step in and refusing to engage in any of the lessons, even in maths where Steve knew that she would usually be finished by the time half the class had finished the first question. She just spent her time leaning back in her chair and seemingly staring out of the window at nothing. 

It was finally in PE that Steve finally started to put the pieces together. Having sent his kids out to Mr Palapa for their lesson, he couldn’t help but notice that Max hadn’t joined them. Knowing that Max usually loved being able to run around, he decided to look in on her and see what was keeping her. Opening the door to the changing room he hesitantly called out her name while stepping inside. Everything was silent, the only noise being Steve closing the door behind himself. He glanced around the room and couldn’t see a thing. In fact, he was about to head back out thinking that he had perhaps missed Max running into the field when he smelt it. It was a sharp bitter smell that smelled familiar. He took another sniff before realising where he knew the scent from. It was a weaker form of Billy’s scent which meant it had to be coming from Max. Siblings always produced a similar scent. Following the scent to the bathroom, Steve found Max curled up in a cubicle, face flushed and almost mewling as Steve approached her. The sight confirmed it to Steve. Max was presenting.


	10. Chapter 10

Max felt hot all over like she was burning up all over. The hotness was all that she could feel and it was driving her insane. She had brief periods of lucidity in which she could remember Steve being there, a damp cloth on her forehead. But most of her time was spent in a period of confusion. 

She wasn’t sure where she was. All she could see was seemingly endless fields in front of her and when she looked behind her, she could only see the remains of a village in the far off distance. She started to look closer at the scene in front of her and began to realise all was not what it seemed. There were large craters scattered around and the fields had been churned up into sludge. There was a small ridge just behind Max and as she approached, she could hear the sound of voices getting louder. Reaching the top of the ridge, Max found herself looking down upon what seemed to be miles of trenches. She could see in the area closest to hers soldiers sitting there shivering with the cold and clutching cups of what looked like scummy water. Wanting to get a closer look and perhaps look further afield, Max approached one of the ladders attached to the wall of the trench and clambered down it. No sooner had her feet touched the ground, a familiar voice was heard. Turning towards the source of the sound, her eyes landed on her brother for the first time in a month. 

He may have appeared unchanged to someone who didn’t know him but Max was his sister. He looked more haggard, his eyes lacking the certain spark that Max had come to associate with Billy. Maybe it was Steve. Max had noticed that Billy was at his best around Steve and she could tell that the alpha was missing Steve. But Max could reassure him, let him know that she was looking out for Steve. That she would protect him until Billy was able to come back home. She called out his name as she ran towards him but he never reacted, eyes staring straight on ahead and listening to whatever Nancy Wheeler was telling him. She understood why a few seconds later when she caught up to her brother and passed right through him.

She stood there for a few seconds, blinking in confusion. This must be a dream right? But at the same time, it seemed so real. Deciding to follow Billy, she felt herself pale when she saw her brother pick up a gun from a pile and sling it over his shoulder before passing some to Nancy and a boy Max didn’t recognise. She could only watch helplessly as Billy followed Nancy up the ladder and out into danger 

She didn’t have time to call out his name before she found herself sitting bolt upright in bed, panting heavily. Her hair was stuck to her forehead and neck with sweat and she felt like she needed to spend the next week in the shower before she would even start to remotely feel clean again. Pulling back the covers, she was about to get out of bed when she spotted Steve in the corner, curled up in Max’s favourite chair that she had insisted on bringing over from Susan’s. She noticed a small scratch on Steve’s cheek and felt embarrassed as she recalled lashing out at Steve during one of her more violent episodes and her fingernails connecting with his cheek.

Trying desperately not to wake Steve as she crept out of her bedroom, Max grabbed a towel out of the cupboard and headed towards the bathroom.

####

Steve was already downstairs when Max finally appeared. She sniffed the air as she entered the kitchen, noting that there seemed to be some new scents in the air. She must have been standing there for longer than she thought because when she blinked, Steve was standing in front of her. One of the many smells was stronger now, apple and strawberry with a slight undertone of leather and lightning that gave Max the impression that she should back away immediately. 

“You smell funny,” she blurted out, hand clapping over her mouth as the embarrassment of her outburst set in. Steve just shook his head affectionately before guiding Max to sit in a chair. 

“That’s just the way I’ve always smelt Max. You’ve just never been able to smell it before.” 

“You mean because I presented I can smell properly now?”

“Not quite. You can just smell alphas, betas and omegas apart now.”

“Do I smell now Steve?”

“Why don’t you smell for yourself?”

When Max just looked confusingly at Steve, he gently rubbed at her wrist before guiding it up to her nose. Max took a deep breath and her nose filled with the scent of mud and ash. She must have looked disappointed because a look of concern came over Steve’s face. 

“You smell like both. Why don’t I smell like both Steve?”

An undertone of affection was in Steve’s voice as he replied. “That’s because I’m a mated omega, sweetheart. You take on your mates scent slightly when you mate so that undertone you smell on me, the leather and lightning? That’s Billy’s scent not mine. It’s kind of like a warning signal to other alphas, like you, to let them know I’m his.” 

Seemingly without thinking about it, Steve had offered his wrist to Max during his little speech and the young girl gently sniffed at it. The faint tones that she now knew to be her brother filled her eyes with tears as the smell reminded her of the scenes that she had seen during her presentation. But the scent at the same time was comforting. The little piece of her brother that she had gained would now be cherished until her brother was home.

######

It had been six weeks since Max had presented and she had been loving every second of being an alpha. She had found the only disappointment to be that none of the rest of the ‘Hargrove Hoard’ had scents yet (Yes they were fully aware of what Steve and Billy had dubbed them). But she was hoping that the scents would come soon with the string of birthdays looming on the horizon. 

She and Steve had been walking along the Main Street, doing some shopping for maternity clothes that Steve had begrudgingly admitted that he needed. Steve had become slightly grouchy as the omega was now visibly pregnant, despite his best efforts to hide the the bump under his pastel jumpers. But at sixteen weeks, this was now impossible. They had found that other omegas had used the pregnancy to come up to the couple, put their hands on Steve’s belly and ask invasive questions about the various methods that they believed would increase the likelihood of a certain gender or allow for Steve to have some sort of super baby. Max had found that whenever this happened, her protective side would kick in and she would snap at and insult the various omegas that approached until they moved along. Steve had chastised her every time that this happened but Max had just shrugged and pointed out that Billy would have done the exact same thing if he had been here and since he wasn’t, Max, as the next available alpha in the family, had to do it for him. Steve just sighed and shook his head.

Now several bags later, Max was determined to drag Steve to the new ice cream parlour that had recently opened in Hawkins, Scoops ahoy. El and her mother had been there the week before and El had mentioned it to Max at every opportunity since. So, Max was now determined to go and see what all the fuss was about. Just as they got to the door, there was a faint droning sound that could be heard in the distance that got louder with every passing second. A few moments later, Max could see the source of the sounds: several large planes flying low in the air. She could feel Steve pushing her from behind, pushing her away from the planes. It was then that the first bomb dropped on Hawkins.


	11. Chapter 11

The bombs had been falling for what had felt like hours. Steve and Max were crouched in the basement of one of the shops in the high street. He wasn’t sure which one, just that it was the one that Steve had known to have one. The loud, whistling sound that could be faintly heard seemed to strike fear into the hearts of everyone there. There had been a point where a bomb had landed close to the basement and the room had shook with the force of the explosion. Max had spent the first part of their vigilance on edge, snapping at anyone who came near the pair. But as time wore on, she retreated to the point where she was curled into Steve’s side, head buried in Steve’s mark. Max hadn’t said anything but Steve had felt the sleeve of his shirt get wet. He let his hand drift up and run it through the girls hair, hoping that the action would soothe her. 

Steve had been relieved when Robin had joined them, the omega collapsing down next to them and resting her head on Steve’s unoccupied shoulder. Steve had tried gently to push her for details about where she had been but Robin just shook her head and tried to divert onto other topics. Hawkins library had been hit alongside the high school and town hall. Steve knew that there were likely to be more hits with the amount of bombs that had been dropped but they wouldn’t know until it stopped, how bad the damage would be. 

The bombing went on for another thirty minutes after Robin’s arrival according to Steve’s estimation. When the regularity of the bombs began to drop and eventually cease all together, the residents of Hawkins started to emerge from their various hiding places to see the damage that had been inflicted upon their small town. Steve had stood there for several minutes, blinking in the harsh sunlight and waiting for his eyes to adjust from the darkness of the basement. 

“Holy shit,” he heard Robin mutter.

“Holy shit indeed.” 

The majority of the high street had been hit, several stores having been reduced to rubble while others had been more fortunate and having only one or two walls collapsing. Steve hurried the trio along, desperate to find out how their friends had fared in the bombing. His spirits were lifted when he saw Hopper emerge from the police station with Mike, Lucas, Dustin and El in tow. Max had finally pulled herself away from his side and launched herself at her friends, pulling each of them into a hug that Steve was sure would have broken some bones. They had found Joyce and Will together as they had moved towards the residential area. They had apparently sat out the bombing in the basement of one of the many houses who had opened their doors to shelter people during the raid. Joyce and Hopper had shared a brief but passionate kiss while the kids, all reunited, had started to put theories together about who they thought the pilots may have been. Guessing that the theories would range from the sublime to the ridiculous, Steve found himself almost subconsciously doing a head count. Joyce had apparently beaten him to it and had realised that someone was missing. 

“Has anyone seen Jonathon today? Anyone? Or have any idea where he might be?”

#####

They had been searching for over an hour and they still hadn’t found Jonathon. He hadn’t been at the newspaper building nor at his house. Steve could hear Joyce calling out for her son, a sense of desperation in her voice. But it was to no avail as the search stretched on and there was still no sign of Jonathan.

It was Steve who eventually found him. He had first spotted Jonathon’s beloved camera, smashed on the pavement near Hawkins General Store. Knowing that Jonathon wouldn’t be far from his prized possession, Steve had begun to call for him, hoping to get a response. Having called for several minutes to no avail, that was when Steve saw the arm sticking out from the rubble of the general store. He yelled out, alerting several other members of their party as he moved towards the limb. He’d moved several of the smaller rocks to reveal the pale face of Jonathon underneath. He felt himself get gently moved aside as Hopper arrived with several other members of the Hawkins police force. Working quickly, the rubble was moved off Jonathan’s limp form and as soon as there was a clear path, Joyce crawled into the small space next to her son. Her fingers went immediately to his neck, feeling for a pulse and relieved sobs began to wrack her body. 

“There’s a pulse,” she managed to choke out. Steve felt a relieved sigh leave his body that he didn’t realise that he had been holding. There was still hope for Jonathon yet. But as Jonathon was carefully hoisted up by Hopper and his men, Steve felt that hope disintegrate to a tenth of what it had been. The sunlight allowed the various bruises and cuts that littered Jonathan’s body to be shown and Steve felt bile rise up in his mouth at the sight of Jonathon leg, bone emerging from the skin. Before Will could see the state that his brother was in, Steve found himself stepping in front of the kids, now congregated on the outer borders of the rubble, and started to shepherd them away from the scene. There was a fire in Will’s eyes that Steve had never seen before and Steve thanked whatever deities were looking down on him when Joyce appeared next to him, helping move the kids away so the ambulance could arrive safely. 

####

They arrived at the hospital shortly after the ambulance arrived, the large party immediately spilling into the waiting room. Joyce curled up in one of the available chairs, tears running down her face as she rested her head on Hoppers shoulder. Will sat on the floor in front of Joyce, fiddling with the loose threads of his jumper as he whispered quietly to himself. The rest of the kids scattered around the waiting room, quieter than Steve had ever seen them. It almost unnerved him, the situation appearing immensely more grave now with the knowledge that his hoard of kids and been scared into submission. He felt a squeeze on his shoulder and looked to see Robin, a small, wistful smile on her lips. He let her guide him to a chair and the two curled up together to wait for news on Jonathon.

Steve must have fallen asleep for when he next opened his eyes, darkness had fallen outside the glass doors of the hospital. He could vaguely hear voices and he scanned the room to see a doctor crouched in front of Joyce and Hopper, Will passed out on the chair next to them. Almost as soon as the doctor stood up and left, Steve was pushing himself out of his chair and crossing the room to the couple.

“Is he okay? Is he alive?”

Joyce responded in a thick voice, “He’s alive. A broken bone, a few cracked ribs and a concussion. But some of the rubble damaged his abdomen. They’re not sure Jonathon will ever be able to carry a child.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Poor Jonathon and Nancy. 
> 
> But on a slightly happier note, the gender of the Hargrove baby could be revealed in the next few chapters. Do you think boy? Girl? Or do you want it to be a surprise?


	12. Chapter 12

Steve trudged the ever familiar pathway through the hospital to the maternity wing. At twenty weeks pregnant, he was officially half way through his pregnancy and he would be lying if he said that this was an appointment that he wasn’t looking forward to. For it was today that Steve would be able to find out the gender of the baby. So it was with a smile that Steve hurried down the hallways, shoes squeaking loudly on the tiled floor. Turning the corner, Steve found himself frozen to the spot at the sight of a familiar figure at the other end of the corridor. Neil Hargrove was stood there, leaning heavily on a pair of crutches as he swung himself down the corridor. Despite Neil not noticing him, Steve found himself rooted to the spot as he came closer. Steve hadn’t seen him for almost three months since the assault and just the sight of Neil brought back memories that Steve would have preferred to never relive and left a sour taste in his mouth. 

Steve noticed the exact moment that Neil saw him, a cold glint entering his eyes and a smirk curling the corner of his mouth upwards. “Well, well, well, if it isn’t the whore himself. I see your still pregnant. That’s almost a shame. I’d almost hoped that I’d have helped sort that problem out all those months ago.” Neil had now drawn level with Steve, the smell of sickening decay and rot filling Steve’s nose that made him feel bile in the back of his throat. He could see the bruises literally the alphas face and the way he was favouring his right side as he stood tempted Steve to kick him in his injured leg to let Neil feel even an ounce of the pain that he had felt that fateful night. 

Steve found himself flinching as he saw Neil’s hand being raised but instead he placed it on the omegas cheek. The action sent a chill running though Steve’s body and as the alpha began to run his hand along Steve’s jawline, a familiar growl was heard from behind. Neil’s eyes flickered to someone standing behind Steve and his eyes turned even colder and harder, something Steve hadn’t thought was possible. 

“Well, if it isn’t my son, the solider boy.” Neil said, while dropping his hand from Steve’s face. Steve took the opportunity to scramble out of Neil’s range and finally set eyes on the one person he’d found himself missing more than anything. Billy was stood there, still in his military uniform, and staring daggers at his father. 

“If you dare touch him again, or in fact, dare come within 20 feet of him or my child, I will not hesitate to hunt you down and make you pay. Do I make myself clear?”

Father and son stared each other down for several seconds before, to Steve’s surprise, Neil seemed to give in. “Shame that I’m in no fit state to stand my ground and I don’t think it would do my case any good to beat the shit out of a solider, even if he is a pathetic, whore-loving excuse for a son.” And with that, he turned around and began to retreat back down the hallway without a backwards glance. 

As soon as Neil turned the corner, Steve launched himself into Billy’s arms and pulled the alpha in for a deep kiss. Billy chuckled as he pulled back and whispered, “Hey pretty boy.” 

“Hey B.” 

They stood there for a few moments, Steve in disbelief that his alpha was actually here, actually right in front of him. He felt Billy step back slightly and saw a flicker of sadness run across his face as he looked at Steve’s expectant frame. Steve could almost feel the guilt radiating off Billy but what truly made his heart break was what the alpha said next that truly broke his heart.

“God, I’ve missed so much, haven’t I?” 

Cupping the alpha face in his hands, Steve ran his hands along his cheekbones. 

“Hey don’t worry about that. As long as your safe and alive thats all we need back   
here, okay? So how about you just come to this doctors appointment with me and see the baby on screen okay?”

####

The familiar face of Doctor Jamal greeted Steve as he entered the small appointment room. He could feel Billy fidgeting beside him so gently slipped his hand into Billy’s and gave the alpha a reassuring squeeze. 

“I presume that this must be the father that I’ve heard so much about,” Doctor Jamal stated, offering out his hand. Both Steve and Billy blushed at the statement before Billy returned the handshake. 

“Yes it is. All good things I hope.”

“Of course Mr Hargrove. Now I believe we’re now at 20 weeks, do correct me if I’m wrong Steve. So if you two would like, I could be able to tell you the gender.”

Steve and Billy only had to share a glance to know what the other was thinking. “Yes I think we would like to know.” Steve responded.

“Wonderful. Now I don’t think I need to tell you the drill at this point Steve.”

Steve shook his head before climbing onto the table and pulling up his jumper to reveal his bump. Billy stood next to him, clearly uncertain as to what he was expected to do. Steve just grabbed his hand again and gave him a small smile before rolling his head towards the screen to watch as Doctor Jamal began the ultrasound. He heard the small intake of breath from Billy as the alpha lay eyes on their child for the very first time. Steve turned back towards the alpha to find him completely enamoured with the screen, unable to take his eyes off the small human that they had created. 

Steve ripped his eyes away from Billy as the doctor began to make some unusual noises. After a few more moments of moving the wand around, he paused, wand still positioned, before turning back to the couple. 

“I know this may come as an unusual question but Steve, were you aware that you were carrying twins?”

Steve heard himself stammer out, “Twins are you sure?”

“Yes I am fairly sure. The reason why this may not have been picked up beforehand may be due to the fact that baby one is big enough to have been concealing baby two. But I can say with confidence that there are definitely two babies showing on the scan.”

Steve looked to Billy and said “You better not die on me now B. No way in hell are you leaving me with two babies to raise on my own.”

“Please just let me try,” came the response before Billy gave him an affectionate kiss on his forehead. “Could you make out the genders, doc?”

“Yes. Thankfully no hiding in that department. Looks like your expecting one of each, a boy and a girl.”

######

Steve somehow managed to convince Billy to stop off and visit Jonathan on the way back from their appointment. The omega had been slowly recovering from the bombing just over a month ago and was almost ready to be released from the hospital. Upon entering Jonathan’s room, the first thing Steve noticed was Nancy. She was fluttering between cooing over the injured omega and pacing around the room, threatening to damage every single bomb that had landed on Hawkins that night. 

Upon hearing the door squeak open, Nancy’s head had spun around, the alpha squeaking when she saw Steve and flinging herself into his arms. “Oh just look at you. Your positively glowing. Now, tell me everything and do not leave out a single detail.”

After filling Nancy in on all the details, the alpha let out a wide smile and enveloped Steve in a large huge before darting up and catching Billy in one too. “And what about names? Please tell me you guys have some ideas on those because god knows when you’ll get another chance to decide.”

“Well, I’ve always liked the idea of having a son called Noah,” Billy said, collapsing into the chair next to Steve. 

“Noah. I like that. What about Thalia for the girl? Noah and Thalia?”

“Thalia after my mother? It sounds perfect.” Steve watched as a tear rolled down Billy’s cheek. 

“Noah and Thalia Hargrove it is then.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Yes. I am fully aware that ultrasound wasn’t used for pregnancy until the 1970 and this is set in some weird version of the 1940s. But this is fan fiction. Let’s just run with it.


	13. Chapter 13

He’d been sure that he had dreamed the events of yesterday. Steve was sure that he had just imagined Billy, that it had just been his imagination running wild. So as he slowly started to wake, he fully expected to be alone. But as he came to his sense, he could feel the rise and fall of someone’s chest underneath his head. Shifting his body to look at the face, he found Billy, fast asleep and snoring quietly. His hair fell in tangled curls over his forehead and his beloved medallion, a first year anniversary present from Steve, had fallen onto the pillow. Trying not to wake the alpha from his slumber, Steve slipped out of bed and crept out of their bedroom, grabbing his dressing gown on the way out. Pulling the garment around him, he headed into the kitchen. 

As he placed the kettle on the stove and waiting for it to boil, Steve found himself casting his mind back to the last time that he had set foot in this house. Since the assault, he had lived with Joyce and Hopper, refusing to step foot in the house again until he knew it was safe to do so. Now armed with the knowledge that Neil was in the hospital, with a jail cell waiting for him once he was discharged, and that his alpha lay just upstairs. Pulled from his thoughts by the whistling of the kettle, Steve quickly grabbed two mugs from the cupboard and poured the tea into them. Carrying them back upstairs, Steve was surprised to see Billy still fast asleep. Checking the time, Steve could see that it was eight already. Despite it being a Saturday, Billy never usually slept in this late, usually getting up while Steve was still asleep and going for an early morning run, and Steve was sure that the military would have only reinforced this habit further in his mate. Placing the tea down on the bedside cabinet, Steve climbed back into the bed and gently shook the alphas shoulder. 

It took several tries before Billy began to respond, a low groan being the first sign of life. A few seconds later and a sliver of white showed as he began to open his eyes. 

“Morning lazy bones. Come on, your tea will get cold otherwise.” 

Steve was rewarded with another low groan before Billy’s eyes opened fully. He spent several seconds staring at the ceiling, getting his bearings, before rubbing at his eyes and pulling himself into a sitting position on the bed. He opened his arms up and without hesitation, Steve latched himself to Billy’s side, breathing in his alphas familiar scent. Steve felt Billy’s muscles shift as the arm that wasn’t holding Steve reached out for the cups of tea that Steve had left standing on the side. Steve accepted the mug handed to him and gently blew on the surface before talking a sip. The couple sat there for several minutes drinking their tea, just enjoying the feeling of being back in each other’s arms. It was then that Steve felt it. A small gasp left his lips and he felt Billy tense next to him.

“Steve, what’s happening? Are you okay?” Billy said as he twisted around to face the omega. Steve’s response was to grab Billy’s free hand and place it on his stomach. Billy sat there, confused until he felt it. 

“They’re kicking?” He asked, a sense of wonder creeping into his voice.

“Yeah, they are,” Steve choked out. The fact that Billy had been able to experience this moment with him made this even more special for Steve. The tender moment was interrupted by the sound of the doorbell echoing through the house. Steve shared a confused glance with Billy. They weren’t expecting anyone this early in the morning. 

“I’ll get it,” Steve sighed before swinging his legs out of bed. 

“What? Don’t be ridiculous! I’ll get it,” Billy responded, his tone of voice making Steve turn back around. The alphas expression made it clear that he wasn’t going to take no for an answer. 

“Why don’t we both go? Since I’m already up,” Steve counteracted. Billy nodded, seeming satisfied with it.

#######

Steve had barely opened the door before a small red shape darted past him and flung itself into Billy’s arms. Billy stumbled backwards and chuckled as the shape revealed itself to be Max. “Hey kiddo. I take this to mean you missed me.” Max just nodded into his shoulder in response. Turning towards the still open door, Steve was surprised to see Susan Hargrove stood on the doorstep, shivering despite the large coat she had on. 

“I’m so sorry to disturb you this early in the morning but Maxine heard that Billy was back and I really didn’t want to say no after the stuff she’s been through lately with Neil and the bomb..”

“It’s honestly not a problem, Susan. We’ve told you before we’re more than happy to have Max whenever you need,” Steve gently interrupted. Steve felt Billy move to stand just behind him. 

“How about we have Max for the night? I’m up for some sibling bonding,” Billy suggested. Susan looked almost relieved at the suggestion. 

“Of course. If that’s what you want Maxine?” Max’s response was to cling tighter to Billy while frantically nodding her head. 

“I guess I’ll pick her up tomorrow then.” Susan said quietly, before turning quickly on her heel and walking down the path. 

#####

Max had refused to detach herself from Billy for the rest of the day, only detaching herself when food was presented or a toilet break was needed. The rest of the time she spent curled up in her brother’s arms, the two of them whispering back and forth about things that Steve didn’t wish to intrude on. He knew that Max had been desperate for Billy to be home, the girl needing the knowledge that there was someone in her family that loved her and would protect her through hell and high water. And while Steve knew that Max trusted him enough to view the omega as one of her protectors, the need, in Max’s eyes, for the roles to be reversed since she had presented and Billy was overseas had been weighing on her mind, a mindset that had only been complicated by Steve’s pregnancy.

Max had finally fallen asleep half-way through their viewing of Snow White, a movie that Max had insisted on watching every time they had hosted a movie night. Steve had noticed just in time to prevent the girl dropping her cup of tea over herself and the couch as her hands loosened in sleep. They had gently shut off the movie and Billy had scooped Max up in his arms and carried her into the room that they had set aside for Max to use whenever she stayed over. While Billy was busy, Steve readied himself for bed and was just climbing into the covers when Billy entered. The alpha immediately pulled off his shirt and stepped out of his jeans before collapsing onto the bed next to Steve and closing his eyes. 

“You okay, B?” Steve found himself asking.

The alpha opened his eyes long enough for Steve to see the pain that clouded the eyes that he loved so much as a distressed tone slipped into Billy’s scent that was quickly followed by a stronger, angrier scent that caused Steve’s inner omega to almost mewl.

“I just feel so guilty. I should have been here for Max. I’m the one constant that girl has had in her life, the one member of our shitty family that hasn’t been a complete and utter flake on her. She needed me and I wasn’t there. You’ve needed me too and I haven’t been there. The stories that go around the trenches of pregnant omegas that have lost their alphas in war have scared the shit out of me. I just don’t want something to happen to me that means your left alone with two kids to raise.”

Billy’s voice had been steadily rising and he looked to be near tears. Steve couldn’t find the words to use, so he just gently moved the alphas head from where it was lying to his lap and started to run his fingers through Billy’s hair, a tried and tested method that Steve had found to be effective whenever the alpha was experienced extreme emotion. 

That was the position that Steve found himself in when he woke up in the early hours of the next morning, sitting up in bed with Billy’s head in his lap and fingers tangled in the alphas hair. Confused as to what could have woken him so early, Steve gently started to move Billy so Steve himself could lay in a more comfortable position. But he found himself freezing when his fingers brushed past Billy’s forehead. The alpha was burning up.


	14. Chapter 14

Steve had tried to not let himself worry. People got sick all the time and they all came out the other side fine. And normally Steve would be calm in these kinds of situations, having dealt with sniffing children all the time. But a sick Alpha was a whole other ballgame, especially if that sick alpha happened to be Billy. Billy had only been sick once before in the time that Steve had known him and the alpha had been ill to the point of needing to be hospitalised. So a feeling of terror had spread through his body on realising the alpha was running a fever. Trying desperately not to wake Billy, Steve silently slipped out of bed and crept to the bathroom. Quickly grabbing the thermometer from the cupboard where it was located, Steve returned to bed and slipped it under Billy’s arm. After waiting for a few minutes, he gently retrieved the thermometer and gently chewed on his lip as he saw in the dim light of the moon a reading of 38. Billy had a fever alright. Deciding to let the alpha sleep for now, Steve crawled back into the bed and fell into a slumber. 

He was woken a few hours later by the sound of a whine. For a brief second, Steve forgot about the events of the early morning and weakly hit out at the source of the sound. When his hand connected with a solid barrier, he remembered Billy and his eyes flew open. The alpha was curled up next to him, eyes screwed shut and his entire body was shaking. Reaching out to feel his forehead, it felt even hotter than before. Billy’s eyes had fluttered open when Steve’s hand made contact with him and Steve could feel Billy leaning into his touch. A wave of sadness hit when Billy’s eyes opened fully to reveal that, instead of their normal bright blue, they were now dull and almost lifeless. 

“Are you not feeling well, B?” Steve asked. Billy just whimpered in response which gave Steve all the information that he needed. Billy was never one to admit that he was in pain or needed help so the fact that he was so willing to admit that he was sick alerted Steve to the fact that the next few days was likely to be a rollercoaster, both physically and emotionally. 

“Can you open up, sweetheart? I need to take your temperature.” Billy obediently opened his mouth and Steve quickly placed the thermometer in. Steve swore he could feel his heart in his throat when it returned a reading of 38.5. Trying not to let the panic show in his face, he gently pushed sweaty hair out of Billy’s face and informed the alpha, “I’m going to go and get you some water and fever reducers because your a bit too hot for my liking at the moment B, okay?”

“I thought you liked my hotness,” Billy quipped back before gently grabbing Steve’s hand. “Should you be in here princess? I don’t want you getting sick as well, especially while your carrying the twins.” 

Steve found the concern touching but gently shook his head in response. “There’s no one else, sweetheart. I don’t want Max in here as I don’t want to risk two sick alphas so it’s me or nothing.”

Billy just closed his eyes and nodded, the action causing him to whimper

#######

Max was in the middle of eating a pile of toast when Steve entered. She waved cheerily upon spotting him and swallowed the toast she was eating. Steve gave her a small, strained smile as he moved around the kitchen, grabbing water bottles from the supply they used for their cycles and some bland crackers that he hoped he may be able to coax Billy into eating. 

Max had cottoned onto the fact that something was wrong as when Steve turned back around, there was a look of distress on her face. “Steve, is something wrong?” 

Steve immediately placed the things he had gathered on the table and scooped the girl into his arms, wiping away the few tears that fell. 

“Hey, hey. Don’t cry. Billy’s just feeling a bit under the weather but I’ll get him sorted out in no time.” 

“Are you sure? Because Mum said that about Dad and Dad died anyway.” Steve cursed himself under his breath. The fact that Joe Mayfield had died from what had started as a simple cold had slipped his mind completely and the guilt came crashing down. 

“I’m sure but how about you help me take this stuff up? I don’t want you staying in there too long because I only have enough energy to deal with one grumpy alpha today and your brother takes the biscuit every time.”

The deal seemed to satisfy Max who immediately leapt out of her chair and grabbed a significant portion of what Steve had left on the table before darting out of the room.

####

Billy seemed to have deteriorated rapidly in the ten minutes Steve had left him alone. His breaths were coming in short, shallow breaths, his entire body was soaked with sweat and he had buried his head under the duvet in what Steve could only assume was an attempt to hide from the light. Max had immediately rushed to her brothers side, placing her items on the dressing table before sparing a glance back at Steve. Steve sat on Billy’s opposite side and ran his hand gently down his mates back before trying to coax him out of his feeble attempt at a nest. 

“Can you look at me for a second Billy?”

The alpha only shook his head which caused him to squeeze his eyes tighter shut and gag. “Migraine. Hurts too much.” He managed to croak out, his voice sounding rough and scratchy. Before anything else could be said, Max had darted across the room to pull the curtains shut. This action seemed to provide Billy with some relief as his eyes opened slightly and Steve almost burst out crying. The eyes that he had fallen in love with were no where to be seen, replaced instead by dull eyes that held none of his alphas usual spark. 

Trying to coax anything down Billy turned out to be challenging with the alpha unable to hold anything down for more than half an hour. Steve could only look on helplessly as the alphas temperature continued to rise which sent Billy into even more distress. Max had been sent out quickly after arriving but had refused to leave when Susan had arrived to pick her up. The young alpha was determined to be on hand if something was needed of her and wanted to be the first to know of any developments involving her brother. 

It was the early hours of Monday morning when Steve found himself eventually caving and telling Max to call an ambulance. Billy’s temperature had spiked at a new high of 41 degrees and all of Steve’s efforts had seemed to be for nothing. His alpha was sick and Steve felt like a pathetic excuse of an omega and a mate that he wasn’t able to care for Billy. So he wasn’t sure whether it was just the pregnancy hormones that caused him to break down as he watched Billy get put in the back of ambulance or if it was something else entirely. 

###

Several hours later, Billy was finally sleeping peacefully. He was hooked up to god knows how many fluid and IV bags trying to fight the dehydration and the fever but he was resting peacefully. So that’s what Steve focused on as he clutched at Billy’s hand and traced the scars on it. The doctors had been processing the results of the tests that had been run for several hours and Steve was just starting to dose off, with his head on the bed next to Billy, when the door creaked open. Steve shot up and was greeted with the sight of the doctor entering the room. 

The doctor didn’t waste any time before filling Steve in on Billy’s precarious state. “I am going to be completely honest with you here Mr Hargrove. It’s not what we were hoping it was. Billy here seems to be experiencing a rare medical event that in simple terms means that he has gone into rut when he shouldn’t have, in this case during your pregnancy. Because of your pregnancy, his body has tried to stop the rut from occurring to try and protect you and the babies which essentially means that his body is at war with itself. If this had been a simple pre-rut, we would have prescribed some suppressants and sent him home but unfortunately Billy seems to be in complete rut according to his hormone levels. Which puts his chances at 50/50 at surviving.”


	15. Chapter 15

Steve didn’t move from Billy’s side for the next four days. He was there for every heart-breaking whimper, every fever spike, every agonising second of his alphas misery. He spent every minute of that time hating himself for causing Billy this pain. Of course, he wouldn’t trade his impending fatherhood for anything but the fact that his own helplessness had led to Billy’s body attacking itself continued to run around his head at every opportunity. 

Max had had to be dragged out of Billy’s room within the first few hours of their arrival, desperate to not leave her brothers side but Steve insisting that the girl at least attend school. He’d have hated himself more if the problem he had created had meant that Max fell behind. Robin had also appeared several times, delivering food that she seemingly knew Steve would not go out and get himself and that he would only force it down his throat for the twins, too focused on Billy to care about eating.

The scare had happened on day two. Steve had been woken in the early hours of the morning by loud whimpers coming from the bed. He could see Billy shifting around in the bed for a brief moment before he suddenly stopped and the machines started to scream. Before he could register what had happened, both nurses and doctors had flooded the room, flipping he lights on and revealing a sight that would be seared on the back of his eyelids for the rest of his life.

Billy was in the throes of a seizures. His eyes had rolled back into his head, only the whites were now showing, and his whole body was now shaking violently. The staff were swirling around Billy’s bed, shouting instructions that Steve could barely comprehend, but all he could think was that they were blocking Billy from him. Billy needed him. Steve could feel his inner omega reel in horror at the small view of Billy that he could see and he felt tears fall down his face as he backed into the corner of the room. His hand moved to his stomach as he felt the twins kick, probably sensing Steve’s distress, but all he could think about was his alpha dying in front of his eyes. 

After 10 long, agonising minutes, the screaming of the machines stopped and the frantic instructions seemed to stop. Steve felt himself heave a huge sigh of relief as the steady heartbeat began to fill the room once again. When he was once again allowed to approach Billy, he felt his hands begin to shake as his eyes took in the impossibly pale features and the tube that was now emerging from Billy’s throat. 

He felt himself collapse into a chair and he vaguely registered one of the many doctors crouching in front of him. The words that were coming through sounded distant and thick and they weren’t making much sense until he pieced them all together. “There’s nothing much more we can do. The ball is in Billy’s court now. All we can do is wait for him to open his eyes.” 

#####

It was on day four after the seizure that Billy finally opened his eyes. Steve had been curled up in a chair, one hand curled around Billy’s and the other flipping through a parenting book. He’d first been made aware by a twitching of Billy’s hand that quickly turned into a faint squeeze. Steve’s eyes had flickered up at this to be greeted by the sight of Billy looking at him blearily. He’d immediately dropped the book into his lap and leaned forward to cup Billy’s face, fingers tracing the bone structure.

“Hello again, B. You’ve given me quite a scare.” 

Billy just responded with a croak before Steve grabbed the water jug and poured a small glass of water. Placing a small straw into the glass, he offered it to Billy, who immediately latched onto. After several seconds where the only sound was the sound of water travelling through the straw, Billy let go of the straw to croak out, “Are you okay?” 

Touched by his alphas immediate concern for him, Steve just shook his head before responding. “Let’s not worry about me at the moment, sweetheart. You’re the one in a hospital bed after all.” Billy just made a low content noise in the back of his throat before almost immediately falling back asleep. 

Two hours later and Billy’s fever finally broke. Steve had never been more relived to see the the flushed look disappear from the alphas face as his body temperature started to drop. A few hours after that and Billy’s eyes opened up fully and Steve was relieved to see no trace of the fever that had plagued for the last five days. They still weren’t at their usual sparkle but Steve didn’t care. This was a step in the right direction and that’s all he cared about.

Billy’s hand twitched and Steve grabbed onto it, gently running his hand over Billy’s knuckles. The nurse must have heard movement as it was at this moment that she chose to enter. She smiled as she approached the bed, pulling out a pen light as she approached. 

“It’s good to see you awake, Mr Hargrove.”Billy just grunted in response, still too out of it to respond properly. Flashing the light in Billy’s eyes before checking the readings on the machine, the nurse scribbled for a few seconds before placing her pen down. 

“Well, I must say for all the trouble you’ve been giving us over the past few days, you’re vitals are looking brilliant,” she said, flashing the pair a reassuring smile. Steve let out a chocked sob, relieved at the news that his alpha was seemingly on the mend. He felt Billy let go of his hand, only for the alpha to make a weak attempt at placing his hand on Steve’s face. A frustrated groan at his obvious weakness made its way past Billy’s lips, causing Steve to chuckle. It looked like his Billy was on the mend. 

#### 

A week later and Steve was back at the train station, once again finding himself saying goodbye to Billy. Almost immediately after being released from hospital, Billy had received instructions to report back to his regiment, despite the fact that he hadn’t quite yet recovered. While it concerned Steve that he was sending off a under the weather alpha, he knew that Billy would still insist on going if he brought it up. Billy had always put work before his health, even if it meant he was driven into the ground. So Steve found himself trying to hide his conflicting emotions during the last few whirlwind moments, filling it instead with kisses and I love yous. 

But as the train pulled out of the station and Steve turned to leave, it all changed. he felt a sense of foreboding wash over him. Steve would later describe it as if his gut was telling him to prepare for something bad, that this may be the last time he saw Billy in a long time. And he didn’t like that feeling at all.


End file.
